Prepare to see your Avatar smashed, whomped, and mangled.

We found Wipeout: In the Zone (OXM rating: 6.5) a flawed but largely fun Kinect offering. This sequel, though — released just four months later — smacks of a lazy cash-grab.

Wipeout 2 serves up a nearly identical (and every bit as physically demanding) play experience in which you run in place, crouch, and jump to maneuver through wacky obstacle courses inspired by the hit TV series. But it’s similar in more than just approach — in fact, most of the set pieces are copied directly from In the Zone, and even consecutive episodes feature near-duplicated challenges. The addition of a winter theme for half of the eight episodes can’t mask the minimal effort put into this full-price follow-up.

Not surprisingly, the first game’s control issues and quirks return unaddressed, while new two-player challenges irritatingly respawn you directly into hazards and water. Moreover, the addition of these segments means that only two players (versus four in the original) can take part in alternating-turns multiplayer. The few exciting moments are simply crushed by the feeling of having the same content and problems tossed into a slimmer and sleazily misleading “sequel.”

PUBLISHER: Activision  •  DEVELOPER: Behaviour Interactive  •  ESRB: Everyone 10+  •  MULTIPLAYER: 2 on same screen (alternating)  •  ACHIEVEMENTS: Tiring  •  COST: $50

On Xbox 360 (Kinect Only)

+ Still one of the best Kinect workouts.

– Nearly identical to the first Wipeout game, warts and all.

– Control issues sting harder, plus terrible respawns.

? Was this sudden sequel really necessary?

3.0